


The Inter-House Unity Gambling Ring

by Drarrymadhatter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gambling, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24544282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drarrymadhatter/pseuds/Drarrymadhatter
Summary: Drabble - It's the weekly inter-house poker night and Harry is determined to break his losing streak.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	The Inter-House Unity Gambling Ring

“Shhh! Keep it down!” hissed Harry, as he pulled Ron down behind a dusty suit of armour mere seconds before Filch and Mrs. Norris turned down the passageway and padded past their hiding place, looking for students out of bed. The boys held their breath and kept still, waiting until the footsteps had gotten sufficiently distant before they crept out and made their way quickly towards the Charms wing.

The corridor appeared deserted. As well it should, considering it was after ten in the evening and long past curfew. The candles within the ancient sconces burned down, causing low shadows to dance lazily along the walls, disguising the slither of light that was barely visible beneath the last door in the corridor. Quickly, before they could be caught, Harry and Ron opened the door, slipped inside, and clicked it shut behind them.

The room was brightly lit and alive with chatter. Neville and Dean were standing at a desk covered in glasses and bottles. 

“Fancy a drink, guys?” Neville called cheerfully. “There’s wine, Firewhisky, and some Muggle stuff called scotch that Dean brought along.”

“Firewhisky for me, Nev,” called Harry, Ron nodding his agreement beside him. 

They took their drinks from Neville and made their way to the large round table in the middle of the room where the rest of the group was seated. Seamus was shuffling the deck vigorously, under the ever-watchful eye of Terry Boot.

“Right!” announced Ron excitedly, “let’s get started, shall we? I've got a load of Galleons to win!”

As they all began to take their seats, the door opened and Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy walked into the room, sporting wary but hopeful expressions. Seamus, seemingly expecting them, waved them over heartily.

“‘Bout time, guys! We almost started without you.” He looked around the table as he continued shuffling the deck, “Hope you guys don’t mind. Inter-House unity and all that jazz.”

The others shrugged their acceptance and, within a few minutes, both Slytherins had been handed a drink and directed to their seats as Seamus started to deal.

“Surprised you showed up after last time, Harry” laughed Dean as he looked at his cards. “How much did you lose again?”

“Ugh, think it was about twenty Galleons. Mostly to Ron,” grumbled Harry and Ron huffed a laugh at his friend’s bitterness. “On second thoughts, maybe this game is a stupid idea.”

“What, scared your losing streak is going to cost you another pile of gold?” snickered Ron.

“Oi!” cried Harry indignantly, as he organised his cards. “I would hardly call it a losing streak!”

“You’ve lost four games rather spectacularly,” observed Neville. “If that’s not a losing streak, I don’t know what is!”

“Fuck off, guys. Who’s in and who’s out?” demanded Harry, anxious to move the evening along.

Quickly, the boys assessed their hands and, one by one, folded with varying degrees of good grace, leaving only Harry and Draco still holding their cards.

“I’m staying in this one, Potter,” drawled Draco, as he placed his initial two Galleons on the table. 

“I’m thinking.” Harry looked at his hand — two pairs — a decent hand really, especially if he could get a full house. But could he really afford to risk it with the way his luck had been going lately? He wasn’t sure it was worth the risk to his vault.

“Erm, I might —”

“You’re kidding me, Potter! You’re seriously going to fold?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Nothing,” goaded Draco slyly.“I just think you’re scared is all.”

Harry felt his face flush with indignation. He’d be a Hippogriff's uncle before he let Malfoy get one over on him.

“You wish,” Harry challenged, slapping his two Galleons beside Draco’s on the table. “I’m in.”

“How many cards Harry?” asked Seamus, passing Harry one when he asked for it. “Malfoy, how many do you want?” he continued, sliding one card over to Draco upon request.

“To you, Malfoy,” grinned Seamus, clearly delighted to have a good old Potter-Malfoy challenge at his fingertips.

“Two Galleons.”

Harry scoffed at the pittance of the bet and decided to make Draco put his Galleons where his mouth was. “I see your two, and I raise you fifteen.”

“Desperate to buy your way out of your losing streak?” taunted Draco, as he matched Harry’s bet and raised it twenty-five Galleons.

_He’s bluffing_ , thought Harry, as he raised the bet another fifty Galleons, ignoring the gasps and profanities from the others.

“Fine, whatever Potter,” sighed Draco in affected boredom. “I’m calling your fifty. What do you have?”

Harry placed his cards on the table, revealing a pair of fives and three sevens. 

“Full house,” he announced gleefully, certain of his win.

It was tense, like guns at high noon, and slowly, deliberately, Draco lowered his hand to the table.

“Four sixes, Potter, and your gold is mine.”

The room erupted in cheers as the others patted Draco on the back in congratulations, before turning to commiserate with Harry, imparting wisdom such as, “What are the odds of beating a full house, eh mate?” and “You always beat Malfoy, had to lose some time!”

As the cards were dealt for the next round, Harry couldn’t help but feel excited. For someone on a doomed losing streak, he didn’t feel like he had lost at all. He would beat Malfoy eventually, he always did. It was just a case of knowing when to strike. Careful to hide his eagerness behind his poker face, he lifted his hand to play. “Ante up, boys.”


End file.
